Virginia, the first American colony established by British settlers in the early 17th century, is the birthplace of eight United States presidents including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson—more than any other state in the nation. Its geography is defined in great part by Chesapeake Bay and the Blue Ridge Mountains; its economy spans agriculture in the Shenandoah Valley, federal agencies in the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington D.C., and port facilities and military bases in Hampton Roads. The state’s rich cultural heritage includes folk music pioneers like the Carter Family and the Stanley Brothers; historic schools such as the University of Virginia and the College of William & Mary; and American literary greats including William Faulkner and James Branch Cabell. Other famous Virginia residents have included General Douglas MacArthur, former NBA star Moses Malone, comedian Patton Oswalt, and musicians Ella Fitzgerald, Timbaland, Missy Elliott, and Pharrell Williams.

In 2016, there were 44,856 obituaries reported in the state of Virginia on Legacy.com. This is a 11% increase from 2015 when 40,516 obituaries were reported in Virginia. You can browse through the full list of Virginia obituaries to find life stories that may be of interest to you.